Top 10 Films of 2013

Okay folks, here it is and better late than never. There were so many idependant films that only garnered a limited release in UK cinemas that I’m looking forward to catching on DVD in 2014, these being; The Act of Killing, Blue is the Warmest Colour, Like Father, Like Son, Frances Ha, The Selfish Giant and Short Term 12.

But with that aside and of the 106 new cinematic films I watched throughout 2013. Here is my Top 10 Film Review of the year…

#10. ‘Philomena’

A world-weary former BBC journalist (Steve Coogan) picks up the true story of a Philomena Lee and her search for her son, who was taken away from her during the 1950’s after she became pregnant out-of-wedlock and was forced to live in a convent.

Philomena carries a compelling narrative, that will profoundly move you, make you laugh, whilst overflowing you with anger. The British film of the year.

#9. ‘Robot & Frank’

Set in the near future, Frank (Frank Langella) a retired jewel thief gets a new lease on life when he is introduced to a surprising new companion. With the help of his new friend, he attempts to woo a local librarian (Susan Sarandon) and resume his criminal escapades.

Along with a plausible version of our future, first time filmmaker, Jake Schreier presents an irresistible little tale of friendship mixed with the poignancy of the early stages of memory loss. Frank Langella gives an endearing performance.

#8. ‘Only Lovers Left Alive’

Only Lovers Left Alive takes place against the romantic desolation of Detroit and Tangier and follows, Adam (Tom Hiddleston) a reclusive bloodsucker and underground musician, deeply depressed by the direction of human activities, who reunites with the love of his life, Eve (Tilda Swinton) a fellow vampire. Their love story has already endured several centuries at least, but their debauched idyll is soon disrupted by her wild and uncontrollable younger sister, Ava (Mia Wasikowska).

Seen at the London Film Festival.
Beautifully shot on its atmospheric palette, Jim Jarmusch’s film is also funny and incredibly well written. Littered with literacy and musical references, Only Lovers Left Alive is a delight to watch, from beginning to end.

#7. ‘Captain Phillips’

Captain Richard Phillips (Tom Hanks), and Somali pirate captain, Muse (Barkhad Abdi), who takes him hostage are set on an unstoppable collision course when Muse and his crew target Phillips’ unarmed ship. In the ensuing standoff, 145 miles off the Somali coast, both men will find themselves at the mercy of forces beyond their control.

Contending a riveting battle of wills between its titular hostage and lead antagonist, exemplary filmmaker, Paul Greengrass takes you on a 134 minute claustrophobic and tension filled voyage. Tom Hanks also delivers, in what is a career best, a touching and humanistic performance.

#6. ‘Stoker’

After India’s (Mia Wasikowska) father dies in an auto accident, her Uncle Charlie (Matthew Goode), who she never knew existed, comes to live with her and her emotionally unstable mother (Nicole Kidman). Soon after his arrival, she comes to suspect this mysterious, charming man has ulterior motives, but instead of feeling outrage or horror, this friendless girl becomes increasingly infatuated with him.

Through an unnerving script and some meticulous auditory and visuals, this masterfully directed dysfunctional family thriller delivers an unforgettably engrossing experience.

#5. ‘Django Unchained’

Set in the South two years before the Civil War, ‘Django Unchained’ follows Jamie Foxx as Django, a slave whose brutal history with his former owners lands him face-to-face with German-born bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz). Schultz is on the trail of the murderous Brittle brothers, and only Django can lead him to his bounty. The unorthodox Schultz acquires Django with a promise to free him upon the capture of the Brittles – dead or alive.

Eclectic casting, his continued and immense talent for poetic scripting, and whilst serious its slavery undertones; Tarantino pulls no punches in serving up a hilarious, sprawling and thrilling homage to the spaghetti western – that’s ridiculously and addictively entertaining.

#4. ‘The Way, Way Back’

Having a rough time fitting in, the introverted Duncan (Liam James) finds an unexpected friend in gregarious Owen (Sam Rockwell), manager of the Water Wizz water park. Through his funny, clandestine friendship with Owen, Duncan slowly opens up to and begins to finally find his place in the world – all during a summer he will never forget.

Sam Rockwell displays precise comedic timing to steal every scene he’s in this poignant coming of age story. It carries an exceptionally snappy and emotional rich script, in which a single line of dialogue isn’t wasted. One of the best and funniest films of the year.

#3. ‘Blue Jasmine’

After everything in her life falls to pieces, including her marriage to wealthy businessman Hal (Alec Baldwin), elegant New York socialite Jasmine (Cate Blanchett) moves into her sister Ginger’s (Sally Hawkins) modest apartment in San Francisco to try to pull herself back together again.

Uncompromisingly raw in examining complex relationships and class, Woody Allen’s Blue Jasmine grows richer, more sympathetic and beyond brilliant as it progresses. Cate Blanchett delivers a tour de force and sure to be Oscar-winning performance as the neurotic titular anti-heroine.

#2. ‘Gravity’

“Sit back, enjoy the ride”

Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock), is a brilliant medical engineer on her first shuttle mission, with veteran astronaut Matt Kowalsky (George Clooney) who is in command of his last flight before retiring. But on a seemingly routine spacewalk, disaster strikes. The shuttle is destroyed, leaving Stone and Kowalsky completely alone–tethered to nothing but each other and spiraling out into the blackness. The deafening silence tells them they have lost any link to Earth…and any chance for rescue. As fear turns to panic, every gulp of air eats away at what little oxygen is left. But the only way home may be to go further out into the terrifying expanse of space.

A simple involving human story, combined the most physically engaging visuals and pulsating sound ever committed to celluloid. Alfonso Cuaron’s intense and awe-inspiring event picture demands to been seen on the largest canvas possible. Miss it at your peril.

And my film of the year is…

#1. ‘Zero Dark Thirty’

For a decade, an elite team of intelligence and military operatives, working in secret across the globe, devoted themselves to a single goal: to find and eliminate Osama bin Laden.

Taking a complete stranglehold on you from start-to-finish, exemplary filmmaker, Kathryn Bigelow crafts a searing, intelligent and deeply thought-provoking political thriller of an epic manhunt.

Top 10 New Releases of 2011

Okay folks, after much deliberation on the 127 cinematic films that I watched during 2011, I can now present to you my Top 10 of the year.

10. ‘The Fighter’

Formulaic it may be, but The Fighter energizes you with a gripping dysfunctional family drama inside and outside the ring to make it a boxing movie with true class. Christian Bale, Melissa Leo and Amy Adams turn in riveting performances.

9. ‘The Guard’

There must be a winning formula in that Irish water or at least in that of the McDonagh family. Writer and director John Michael (brother of Martin McDonagh, ‘In Bruges’) equally crafts a gem of a black comedy mixed with heartfelt drama.

8. ‘Bridesmaids’

These bridesmaids prove they are not all frilly girlie and can get down just as dirty as the boys, which makes this comedy with a soft heart the best of the year from its genre – it’s just damn funny. Like, really funny.

7. ‘Tangled’

A big healthy dose of “happily ever after”, where everything positively glimmers and glitters alongside a modern script which is slick and quick and is a true testament to Walt’s old school Disney magic, where even the most hard-hearted person would struggle not to be charmed by this tale.

6. ‘Rise of the Planet of the Apes’

This prequel makes for an intelligent movie which is a constantly exhilarating ride, filled with emotion. The best summer blockbuster by a country mile.

5. ‘True Grit’

Thanks to some beautiful, sweeping and breathtaking vistas of the West by cinematographer Roger Deakins, and a revelation of a breakthrough performance in young Hallie Stanfield, the Coens have breathed life into an American Classic.

4. ‘Tinker Tailor Solider Spy’

Tomas Alfredson skillfully weaves this intelligent narrative to treat its audience with respect in this intense and riveting spy thriller.

3. ‘Senna’

A flawless, emotive and compelling documentary on a legend who had the drive, passion and natural ability unlike anyone else to succeed. Demands to be seen wherever you are a fan of the sport or not.

2. ‘We Need to Talk About Kevin’

With a phenonemal and sure to be Oscar winning performance from Tilda Swinton, this is a truly daring, powerfully taut and disturbingly sickening piece of astounding filmmaking from Lynne Ramsay which will leave its indelible mark in your memory.

And my choice for the film of the year is…

1. ‘Drive’

With a pitch perfect Ryan Gosling as the man with no name. Nicholas Winding Refn makes you sit back and fasten your seat belts, as he takes you on an exhilarating ride with a cool intensity – your eyes and ears deserve this ultra stylized noir thriller and masterpiece.

Closing Words

Well that, as they say, is that. My epic quest of attempting to watch 365 films in 365 days – including the entire IMDb Top 250 films and 115 new releases at the cinema – comes to an end. Overall achievement was 379 films, due to overachieving on the cinema count (126 films) and additional IMDb films (‘Three Colours White’, ‘Three Colours Blue’ in companion to ‘Three Colours Red’ and ‘Flags of Our Fathers’ to ‘Letters from Iwo Jima’) – which were part of trilogies but not listed.

It’s been an extremely long 365 days, during which this task has consumed my life whole (just ask my family and friends) and I have spent a massive 45,721 minutes which equates to 762 hours or 31.75 days of doing nothing but watching…films!

Big thank you’s goes to all my email subscribers and everyone who took the time to check out and read my Blog reviews whilst leaving comments. It means a lot to me that you do and made my quest even more worthwhile. Also to all my family and friends who put up with me endlessly talking about the challenge this past year, you know who you are!

I have put the following Q & A together…

Q. Why did I do the challenge?

A. Well ever since my childhood I’ve had a burning passion for films. I just love everything about them. This form of escapism for a few hours can effect you on many levels and I wanted to acknowledge this. So in September 2010 I founded Cheltenham Film Club. To this day, the club continues to be a runaway success and has made me some great friends. However, I wanted to take the passion even further.

So I thought why not attempt to watch as many films as possible in one year, but rather than just watch any old movies I wanted to rigidly follow a list in descending order. So after thoughts entered my head of doing the (500) Films of Empire magazine (So glad I didn’t take this one on!) or various critics’ lists, I finally settled on the IMDb Top 250 and the 115 new cinematic releases.

Q. Hardest part of the challenge?

A. Well I thought even though very time-consuming, just watching the films seemed all a bit to easy – why I thought this I don’t know! So armed with a notebook (which now contains lots of scruffy writing!) I set myself the task of Blogging my thoughts on each film watched, and even tough immensely enjoyable this turned out to be the most difficult part.

Also the challenge was meant to be 1 film a day but after taking my eye off it in March I quickly found myself falling deep behind to the tune of 49 films at one point, and whilst attempting to catch this back up and retain the 1-a-day ratio was exhaustive, and trying to get by on 4-5 hours sleep on more occasions than I can remember is not advisable!

Q. Films – Highs and Lows

A. One of the problems that stems from watching so many films is whilst you get a lot of exuberant highs by watching some of your all-time favorites again and some newly discovered gems….

‘The Philadelphia Story’, ‘Jaws’, ‘No Country for Old Men’, ‘Cinema Paradiso – *new*’, ‘There Will be Blood’, ‘The Lives of Others *new*’, ‘Casablanca’, ‘Its a Wonderful Life’, ‘Back to the Future’, ‘Star Wars’ ‘The Dark Knight’ ‘Sunset Boulevard’, ‘Rear Window’ and ‘The Godfather Part I and II’ – to name a few.

Also for the life of me I don’t know why, why I hadn’t encompassed their work before taking on the challenge, but I’ve now I distinct liking for acclaimed Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa and Anime in the form of Studio Ghibli.

You also get a lot of lows with some utter rubbish like ‘In The Mood For Love’, ‘A Christmas Story, ‘Your Highness’, ‘Zookeeper’, ‘Conan’ ‘Persona’ and ‘Wild Strawberries’ – again to name a few.

Q. Would I do this kind of challenge again?

A.  Yes, in a couple of years I would like to think so, but the next time it will be with much better planning because that is the key.

People have already started asking me what I am planning to do next year! Although I have watched many of their films in my lifetime, starting this year and continuing over the next few years, I am going to attempt to cover encompassing the following iconic directors’ complete filmography, whom I consider to be ‘gods’ of the filmmaking world…
Steven Spielberg, Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, Akira Kurosawa, Joel and Ethan Coen, Alfred Hitchcock, Stanley Kubrick and Sir. David Lean.

Also in addition I am aiming to watch all 51 Walt Disney animated features.

But for now, the only thing that I am planning to do is have some well-earned rest and getting my life back!

So on that note, I say thank you and good night…

The End.

Day 361: The Shawshank Redemption

#379/ 365 – ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ (1994) – 142 mins
IMDb Challenge #250 / 250 – Ranked #1 – DVD Collection

Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) is a young and successful banker whose life changes drastically when he is convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his wife and her lover. Set in the 1940’s, the film shows how Andy, with the help of his friend Red (Morgan Freeman), turns out to be a most unconventional prisoner.

Released in 1994 to warm critical acclaim, the Academy nominated it for Best picture, Best actor (Morgan Freeman), Best adapted screenplay and four technical awards. First-time director Frank Darabont’s screenplay adaptation of Stephen King’s short novel “Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption”, failed to turn a profit at the box office, and only found it’s audience when it was released on home video, since then it has gradually grown to become a cult phenomenon.

Narrated by Red (Morgan Freeman), the prison entrepreneur who keeps being rejected for parole, the message and theme of the film is one of hope and despite the simplicity of this it manages to hold you transfixed virtually from start to finish. Shawshank signifies freedom in its storytelling that allows the film to propel at the viewer frequent sincere surprises which make for many a feel good moment, in particular the unforgettable ending.

Whilst it’s virtually impossible to overstate the effectiveness of the two lead performances from Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman, Darabont does a superb job of transforming the host of minor supporting characters into vividly drawn and compelling characters.

The Shawshank Redemption now regularly features near the top of every ‘favourite film’ or ‘greatest film ever made’ lists – hence it has long been at the top of the IMDb Top 250 films, but does it really deserve its place so highly upon the list? My enthusiasm is a little more restrained in awarding it this top spot. However, it is a film that is moving, warm, rewarding, welcoming and full of heart which is guaranteed to stick in your memory long after the credits roll. The Shawshank Redemption is a gem of a film that everyone should see.

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Day 361: The Godfather

#377/ 365 – ‘The Godfather’ (1972) – 175 mins
IMDb Challenge #248 / 250 – Ranked #2 – DVD Collection

Don Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando) is brutally pursued when he refuses to sully the family business with drugs. His eldest, Sonny (James Caan), steps in to take the helm during his father’s illness, but is riddled with bullets. It is up to Michael (Al Pacino), the war hero and beloved son, to step up redeem the family’s honor.

What can I say about The Godfather? It is one of the most celebrated films in cinema history, a film that I have watched more times than I can remember, along with The Godfather Part II. Both Francis Ford Coppola’s poetic masterpieces based on Mario Puzo’s acclaimed novel have long resided in my Top 15 films of all-time.

The opening wedding sequence is a stunning introduction to the Corleone family. This initial scene is all slow camera movement, using to great effect Gordon Willis’ striking cinematography which employs atmospheric light and dark shadows that nearly fully cover Don Vito Corleone, as he accepts a tribute and petition from Bonasera the Undertaker (Salvatore Corsitto).

Rarely does a film tell as many diverse yet intertwining stories where every major character, and several minor ones are molded into distinguishable and complex individuals. If there is a flaw with The Godfather it’s that are so many characters and details to absorb in the tightly plotted script for a first viewing and needs multiple visits to fully appreciate Coppola’s artistry. Fully complementing everything in the midst of all this majesty is Nino Rota’s beautifully soothing score.

The legendary Marlon Brando is superb and works magic in the role of Vito that revitalized his career, and that would land him a second Best Actor Oscar. Al Pacino gives an amazingly subtle performance as Michael Corleone, the youngest brother of the family. There are also strong performances from James Caan as Santino the demonstrative and volatile brother, and Robert Duvall as Tom Hagen, whose character stays in the background as the steady and reliable brother.

Yes the The Godfather is long, but 175 minutes spent in this intricate and violent world is a rich and engrossing experience, and when the closing credits roll you feel you have only been watching for an hour. If there was ever “an offer you couldn’t refuse” it would be to watch this film, as it is one of the finest films not only of our time but of any time.

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#378/ 365 – ‘The Godfather Part II’ (1974) – 200 mins
IMDb Challenge #249 / 250 – Ranked #3 – DVD Collection

We follow Michael (Al Pacino) through the 1950s, as his would-be legitimate business gets into sleazy deals in Cuba and the US Senate, and he is forced to break the ultimate taboo by having his own brother murdered. Meanwhile, we see his father Vito (Robert De Niro) as a young man, establishing the family via a street gang in turn-of-the-century New York.

You can count on one hand the sequels that have lived up to it’s original, ‘The Empire Strikes Back’, ‘Aliens’, ‘Terminator 2: Judgement Day’ and ‘The Dark Knight’. But for me only one film can legitimately be said to be better than the film that inspired it, and that is ‘The Godfather, Part II’ and is a companion piece in the truest sense of the word.

Breathtaking in scope, more ambitious in production, this masterful follow-up takes the central theme of part I and delves deeper in the Corleone family history by telling a pair of completely disconnected stories but does so in parallel. In the one story it continues to follow the destiny of Michael Corleone who attempts to expand his mafia empire from Las Vegas to Cuba whilst rooting out traitors in his own family. Meanwhile, in the second parallel story, we follow the 1921 journey of Michael’s father, a young Vito Corleone who immigrates to America from Sicily after his family’s murder and starts to build the families mafia empire. Both stories are utterly compelling and in once sense I wish they had been separate films.

It’s interesting to see at the beginning of Godfather Part II it echoes the opening of part I, and so does the end. But because of the manner in which circumstances are handled, the impact here is more forceful.

Performance wise and winning the Best Actor Oscar almost without any dialogue Robert DeNiro is spectacular as the young Vito Corleone, and Al Pacino continues to showcase a masterclass of acting from seen in Part I. This was first film in which these two acting legends were first teamed, but due to the nature of the split-timeline of the script they never interacted together.

In 1990, Francis Ford Coppola came back to bring the Corleone journey to a close with ‘The Godfather Part III’ and yes whilst this film is poor in comparsion to the first two colossal parts, as a standalone film it’s still a great watch.

Collectively the first two parts won nine Academy Awards (out of 29 nominations) including walking away with the Best Picture twice just goes to show its power. “Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.” are words Michael Corleone lives by, well make sure you keep this collection close to your heart as its nothing short of a miracle.

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Day 360: Pulp Fiction/The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

#375/ 365 – ‘Pulp Fiction’ (1994) – 154 mins
IMDb Challenge #246 / 250 – Ranked #5 – DVD Collection

The lives of two mob hit men, a boxer, a gangster’s wife, and a pair of diner bandits intertwine in four tales of violence and redemption.

In 1992 with his debut directorial feature ‘Reservoir Dogs’, Quentin Tarantino shook the world of cinema by doing something completely different in style and substance to give the crime drama genre a complete rebirth. But the problem that arises with setting the bar to this new standard, is that the expectations for your follow-up feature are incredibly high and sometimes unrealistically so. However, Tarantino hasn’t needed to worry because in 1994 he turned the genre on its head again when he presented to the world the explosive ‘Pulp Fiction’. Which still continues to this day to have a profound effect on pop culture and independent filmmaking – it is doubtful that there has been a more influential film within the last decade.

With three interconnecting stories, “Vincent Vega and Marsellus Wallace’s Wife”, “The Gold Watch” and “The Bonnie Situation” that take place in modern-day Los Angeles, the film is one hell of a wild ride. As in Reservoir Dogs, Tarantino shows he has a unique talent for writing stylish, snappy and poetic dialogue and here his dialogue sparkles even more. The riveting conversations between Vincent (John Travolta) and Jules (Samuel L. Jackson) are pure cinematic gold and ripple with humor as they cover Hamburgers in Europe, a gold watch, foot massages and to what constitutes a miracle.

Another trick Tarantino does is to masterfully blend music into proceedings. From its classic R&B hits to instrumentals, the soundtrack acts as another character to convey mood.

The ensemble cast performances are incredible. Both John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson are mesmerizing in their hit men roles. Bruce Willis as the over-the-hill boxer Butch is also terrific. Christopher Walken is flawless in delivering the famous gold watch monologue.

Even though Tarantino deservedly won the Best Screenplay Oscar, it still bewilders me to this day how Robert Zemeckis movie triumphed over Pulp Fiction in the Best Picture category, a criminal injustice by the Academy. Tarantino’s defining nineties crime masterpiece is one of near perfection – it just doesn’t get any better than this.

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#376/ 365 – ‘The Good, the Bad and the Ugly’ (1966) – 161 mins
IMDb Challenge #247 / 250 – Ranked #4 – DVD Collection

The Good is Blondie (Clint Eastwood), a wandering gunman with a strong personal sense of honor. The Bad is Angel Eyes (Lee Van Cleef), a sadistic hitman who always hits his mark. The Ugly is Tuco (Eli Wallach), a Mexican bandit who’s always only looking out for himself. Against the backdrop of the Civil War, they search for a fortune in gold buried in a graveyard. Each knows only a portion of the gold’s exact location, so for the moment they are dependent on each other. However, none of them are particularly inclined to share.

The third and most famous in Sergio Leone’s the “Man With No Name” dollars trilogy, unlike its predecessors, ‘A Fistful of Dollars (1964)’ and ‘For a Few Dollars More (1965)’, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly is a grander epic of a Spaghetti Western, and by far the most effective of the three. Much of this is down to Leone’s brilliant directing style which is dramatic, powerful and well delivered in creating a suspense filled atmosphere. The plot is surprisingly compelling considering that it is somewhat on the slim side.

Opening with a whirling scene of a man trying to escape from a gun battle, the film is full of more of the same throughout, right through to its climatic blistering, eye piercing and suspense filled standoff between Blondie, Angel Eyes and Tuco. Other achievements included in the film that make it a fantastic watch are the cinematography and the production design. With its sweeping desert vistas and big and bright blue skies, The Good, The Bad And The Ugly is a sublime delight to the eye.

I can’t go by without putting a spotlight on Ennio Morricone’s iconic score that haunts the film, it is a seminal piece of work and depending on your preference you’ll find yourself whistling or humming it throughout.

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is truly a great western, maybe even the greatest. See it today.

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‘1 Man 365 Films 365 Days’ – Day 358

#374/ 365 – ‘Inception’ (2010) – 148 mins
IMDb Challenge #245 / 250 – Ranked #6 – DVD Collection

The story sees Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) who is an extractor paid by sinister corporations who makes a questionable living by stealing the innermost ideas of powerful tycoons. He does so by infiltrating their dreams with the help of a team of operatives and a mysterious dream-sharing device. But then, as if fate had decided after a failed attempt at extracting information from one business executive Saito (Ken Watanabe, The Last Samurai), he is offered a job by the very same man. This time, however, must plant a new idea ‘Inception’ in the competitor’s mind of Robert Fischer Jr. (Cillian Murphy, Batman Begins), rather than extract it.

There are very few film directors in this world that are allowed to pitch a complex and completely original concept to a studio and walk away with a budget of $160,000,000 and make it, that said your name is Christopher Nolan and your last movie was ‘The Dark Knight’ that in 2008 broke all box office receipts, so exception granted.

With Inception Nolan invites you into the world of the dream to explore alternate realities where the rules don’t exist and this all sounds intriguing for a film that’s essentially at it’s core is a classic and perfect heist story.

Nolan has ensemble a stellar cast to play out this story but it DiCaprio who gives an astonishing almost effortless like performance and his best since Blood Diamond to steal the show. He is backed up by his right hand man, the Organiser Arthur (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), Forger (Tom Hardy) who gives a humorous performance. Marion Cotillard gives the film its emotional weight playing Cobb’s wife Mal. Ellen Page finally manages to step out from under her Juno stereotype, playing the Architect who is suspicious of Cobb’s motives. Then there are the Nolan regulars of Cillian Murphy, Ken Watanabe and Michael Caine, some of whom are vastly underused but nevertheless still a pleasure to watch.

The visual effects in ‘Inception’ stop nothing short of breathless and are of the original kind that haven’t been since like the Matrix, where you have exploding buildings, folding cities to zero-gravity suspended bodies. If that’s not enough, there is also one sequence that brings to the mind a James Bond movie, with Cobb’s team members decked out in matching winter gear and skis, fighting their way across a snowy landscape. All the time these effects beat out to a pulsating Hans Zimmer score.

Inception is bold, inventive and whilst the outline is complex and it will demand your full attention throughout, it’s not confusing. Nolan’s latest masterpiece is one that perfectly balances sc-fi with thriller and will take multiple viewings to fully appreciate its genius and beauty.

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Day 357: Twelve Angry Men/Schindler’s List

#372/ 365 – ‘12 Angry Men’ (1957) – 96 mins
IMDb Challenge #243 / 250 – Ranked #8 – DVD Collection

A cut and dry guilty verdict in a Jury-judged murder case is brought into doubt by one lone voice in the shape of a concerned juror. Can he break through the prejudices of the other 11 to force them to take a fresh look at the evidence?

Who would have thought that a film which almost entirely takes place in one room, consisting of 12 very angry juror members interacting between each other would be such an entrancing experience.

For a film like 12 Angry Men, the acting is of paramount importance and there is a highly talented ensemble to play out this brilliant war of words. Standout performances come from Henry Fonda putting in a tremendous central role as the lone concerned Juror #8, who, using softly spoken words and calm balanced reasoning, tries to convince the other 11 this isn’t an open and shut case against the accused, who will be sent to the electric chair. However Lee J. Cobb ensures it isn’t a one-man acting show with incredible force as the extremely opinionated, biased, forceful and loud-mouthed Juror #3.

It is incredible to think that 12 Angry Men was the first directorial effort of the brilliant Sidney Lumet (‘Dog Day Afternoon’, 1975 and ‘The Verdict’, 1982). Through varying camera angles and some great cinematography coupled with a razor sharp and intelligent script he creates an claustrophobic energy with emotion that subtly draws you in and refuses to let you go.

If there’s one thing that there is beyond reasonable doubt, if you haven’t experienced 12 Angry Men before then you owe it to yourself to see it now. It is a classic and an undisputed one at that.

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#373/ 365 – ‘Schindler’s List’ (1993) – 195 mins
IMDb Challenge #244 / 250 – Ranked #7 – DVD Collection

Czech born, Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson) owns a factory in Poland where he exploits the cheap jewish labour found there. When he witnesses the atrocities of Aushwitz he creates a list of workers whom he is able to save – turning his factory into a safe haven and rescuing over 1,100 Jews.

“Whoever saves one life, saves the world entire.”

In 1993, the greatest filmmaker of our time and one I consider as a god in this industry did exactly what we expected, and then he turned around and completely surprised his audience. That year and for the third time in his career, Steven Spielberg proved he could still capture the summer box office which was no surprise as he broke the record for the highest-grossing film of all time. Big, grand, exhilarating and with incredible special effects, ‘Jurassic Park’ was your typical Spielberg film.

But whilst Jurassic Park was breaking these records, Spielberg was making a Holocaust drama. This was a surprise and proved that cinema’s biggest kid was growing up.

Schindler’s List centers itself around the true story of Oskar Schindler (with Liam Neeson giving a performance of great depth), a self-indulgent and opportunistic businessman purely motivated by money. He hires Jews to work in his factory so he can capitalize on their low wage rates. But Spielberg’s film tells of Schindler’s perspective changes as he risks losing everything to save as many of the lives he has previously exploited as possible.

Spielberg also gives us a second story of Amon Goeth, Nazi commander, a monster of a human being who murders Jews at will as sport. In one truly unnerving scene we see the pure evil of Goeth as he takes pot shots and kills Jewish workers from the balcony of his spectacular villa. Ralph Fiennes gives an extraordinary performance in this role that both mesmerizes and repulses at the same time. Ben Kingsley in the role of Itzhak Stern, Schindler’s Jewish accountant gives an impressively understated performance.

Spielberg elected to shoot the picture in black-and-white, and his decision was indisputedly an excellent one. Janusz Kaminski’s (now a regular Spielberg collaborator) cinematography is meticulous as he makes effective use of shadow and light to help create the appropriate mood.

Schindler’s List inspires, touches you deeply, and yet simultaneously horrifies as Spielberg pulls no punches in presenting brutal and realistic images of the unspeakable atrocities of the Holocaust.

Some films, quite simply, aren’t meant to entertain. They are designed to compel on a much grander and important historical level. Spielberg’s crowning masterpiece ‘Schindler’s List’ for which he finally won the Best Director and Best Picture Oscars that were long denied him, is one of those films.

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Day 356: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest/ The Twilight Saga

#370/ 365 – ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ (1975) – 133 mins
IMDb Challenge #242 / 250 – Ranked #9 – DVD Collection

McMurphy (Jack Nicholson) thinks he can get out of doing work while in prison by pretending to be mad. His plan backfires when he is sent to a mental asylum. He tries to liven the place up a bit by playing card games and basketball with his fellow inmates, but Nurse Ratched is after him at every turn.

Over the years there have been a few films to have been nominated for the ‘Big Five’ Academy Awards, Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay but only three have ever won all Five, ‘It Happened One Night (1934)’, ‘The Silence of the Lambs (1991)’ and this richly deserving effort from Milos Forman.

At its heart One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest is an epic battle of wills between McMurphy and Nurse Ratched. From top to bottom, the casting is spot on. Jack Nicholson as the free spirit and rule breaker commands the screen every time the camera lingers upon him. Louise Fletcher is every bit his equal as the strait-laced by the book Nurse Ratched.

The film is full of great moments. The scene where McMurphy reenacts the play-by-play excitement of a World Series baseball game for the other patients, and a heart-wrenching finale being the most memorable.

With a great script and great direction, Forman is masterful at balancing the outrageous humor with the seriousness of the asylum. One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest is an all-time classic for a reason. It is a moving, funny, thoughtful and uplifting piece of filmmaking.

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#371/ 365 – ‘The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1′ – 117 mins
Cinema Challenge #126 / 115

Even though I was on holiday in Savannah, Georgia visiting my sister and family, I still managed to get a trip to the cinema in. Though it was more a case of my sister being a fan of the Twilight saga that she wanted to see the latest installment.

Human Bella (Kristen Stewart) and vampire Edward (Robert Pattinson) finally tie the knot. But when she becomes pregnant, they face a life-threatening dilemma. The neighbourhood wolf pack circles, determined to prevent the birth of a potentially uncontrollable bloodsucker, and Bella’s admirer, Jacob (Taylor Lautner), tries to protect her.

The plot is wafer thin and straightforward. It is all about Bella – the wedding (some excellent production design on show here), lots of chess playing before they consummate, and the demon birth. That’s essentially what you get, and all this becomes one incredibly long drawn out yawn fest scenario for two hours. The story lacks any real depth and suspense especially during the birth and wolf pack attack scenes. All of this is mixed with lots of moody staring contests throughout between Jacob and Edward and some laughable dialogue from the pair.

In a nutshell if you’re not a Twilight fan, don’t go and see this film; you will have a horrible time. On the other hand if you’re a Twilight fan well of course you will love it. Even though I haven’t watched any of the previous Twilight films, I went in with an unbiased mind but this evidence suggests that I won’t be playing catch-up with the previous installments anytime soon or if at all.

Bella, remember birth control next time and you could have prevented this nightmare.

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Day 352: Batman Begins/The Dark Knight

#368/ 365 – ‘Batman Begins’ (2005) – 140 mins
IMDb Challenge #240 / 250 – Ranked #111 – DVD Collection

Billionaire down-and-out Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale), traumatised since the murder of his parents, is recruited by The League Of Shadows, ninja assassins devoted to eradicating society’s ills. Rejecting their methods, he returns to Gotham and embarks on a one-man war against crime.

Needless to say, director Christopher Nolan is the real hero of Batman Begins. Sure, Christian Bale dresses up as the giant bat and brilliantly dominates the screen time, but it’s Nolan working from behind the scenes who really makes this back-to-basics Batman work exceptionally well.

Nolan uses Batman Begins as the opportunity to carve out a proper origin story about the caped crusader, something that hadn’t been done in the 80’s and 90’s manifestations of the franchise. This is a hard-core, down-and-gritty story that through flashbacks takes us to the dark corners of the life of billionaire, Bruce Wayne.

There are exciting action scenes, scorching stunts, and of course, the Batmobile which impresses as it skids and screeches over skyscrapers and screeches. Nolan understands how to elevate the adrenaline level. The dialogue is sharp and intelligent, but ultimately, Batman Begins works because you believe in the character. This Dark Knight is definitely here to stay.

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#369/ 365 – ‘The Dark Knight’ (2008) – 152 mins
IMDb Challenge #241 / 250 – Ranked #10 – DVD Collection

Batman (Christian Bale) hopes to hang up his cape and hand over crime-fighting duties to District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart). But the arrival of clown-faced master criminal The Joker (Heath Ledger) forces the masked vigilante to question everything he stands for.

“You can die a hero or live long enough to be a villain”

The Dark Knight goes beyond the fascinating gothic visuals and harsh realistic tone founded in ‘Batman Begins’ to give us an even richer and multi-layered story, to make it arguably the moodiest superhero film ever to grace to screen.

Opening up with the greatest bank robbery since Michael Mann’s Heat, visually, the film is luxurious, expensive, sophisticated and with awesomely staged stunts throughout, with a huge truck which Batman lassos proving to be the highlight.

All the original cast of Batman Begins are back. Christian Bale continues to own the role as our caped hero. It is always a pleasure to spend time in the company of Michael Caine as Bruce Wayne’s ever-loyal butler Alfred and Morgan Freeman as Lucius, Batman’s version of ‘Q’. One of the major new characters to join the ranks is Aaron Eckhart as Gotham’s charismatic, District Attorney Harvey Dent is Gotham’s Knight ‘White Knight’, and that’s how Eckhart plays him – an individual who makes his own luck. Maggie Gyllenhaal has replaced Katie Holmes as the assistant D.A. Rachel Dawes, but the change is a welcome one as Gyllenhaal is a better actress and makes the character her own from her first scene.

However, it is the Joker who is the biggest and most welcome addition. Heath Ledger’s posthumous Oscar winning performance is one of pure revelation; he drives the entire movie as Batman’s seriously disturbed “why so serious?” nemesis. He is the embodiment of terror and rage, who takes a disturbed pleasure in twisting the city and its heroes. It is impossible to go away after watching The Dark Knight without feeling a sense of poignancy in Ledger’s performance.

For me The Dark Knight is the greatest superhero movie ever made and being a huge fan of the genre, I don’t say that lightly. It is a truly an outstanding and unforgettable achievement from Nolan that works on every level. Whether he will ever top what has been accomplished here remains to seen, but on July 20th, 2012 the world will get to find out if he can with concluding part in this epic franchise – ‘The Dark Knight Rises’

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